


let’s dance at the edge of the world

by Sleepyhyuckie



Series: The compass I saw in my dreams (I know now that it’s you) [1]
Category: NCT (Band), SM Rookies
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Ancient time, Cute, Dorks, Lee Jeno is Whipped, M/M, Mentioned Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, NCT Dream Ensemble-centric, Reunions, ambigious ending??, dreams!jaemin, i need to sleep, kinda sad, mark is minhyung bc i said so, moon!mark, nightmares!jeno, nomin, perhaps i will make this into a series, squint for markhyuck, sun!hyuck, time!chenle, youth!jisung
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 13:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18447746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleepyhyuckie/pseuds/Sleepyhyuckie
Summary: Jaemin reveled in nights like this. Where Minhyung had pulled the moon so high up in the sky and the stars awake to dot the onyx sky that blanketed the world. Where if he reached up a bit, his fingers would graze the gauzy white fantasies he had spun into the existence.NCT Dream Old Gods!Au





	let’s dance at the edge of the world

**Author's Note:**

> "You know that place between sleep and awake, that place where you can still remember dreaming? That's where I'll always love you. That's where I'll be waiting."

Jaemin reveled in nights like this. Where Minhyung had pulled the moon so high up in the sky and the stars awake to dot the onyx sky that blanketed the world. Where if he reached up a bit, his fingers would graze the gauzy white fantasies he had spun into the existence.

 

Renjun made it easy for him that night. No fitful sleepers. No thoughts of anguish, of heartache. There were to be no nightmares. Still, Jaemin felt a pang in his immortal soul. It was a bit ironic for him to weave these dreams. He created these visions of riches, orchestrated symphonies of laughter. But, no one weaved any such dreams for him. It was no use anyways. Jaemin never slept. Dreams were to be woven, day and night, Jaemin was awake. Plucking at the sky to conjure something to ease the minds of the mortals they ruled over.

 

He wasn’t alone though. He was a lonely god, but never alone.

 

It would only make sense that Jaemin could only make dreams if people slept so he was eternally grateful for Renjun. For Renjun gave him a purpose and, a friend. Renjun would sweep his arms across the sky to scatter the bits of sleep. Sleep would be sprinkled into every mortals’ mind. Then, Jaemin’s dreams made their way into these mortal minds, floating from the sky. Renjun was quiet but he knew more than he let on. Nevertheless, his sharp tongue was ruthless to even the other gods. He could be merciless but Jaemin loved him for it. Renjun was his co-conspirator in the land of Morpheus and his very best friend.

 

Minhyung was second to Renjun in terms of Jaemin’s affection but equal in terms of length of friendship. Minhyung was strong and resilient and ever so present in their lives. They saw Minhyung more often than his counterpart, Donghyuck, but it seemed like wherever Minhyung was, Donghyuck was sure to follow, ever so trailing by a few breaths. Those two were the balance that kept their world running. That kept the mortal world running. Such burden came with being day and night.

 

If he waited a little bit, he could hear the chimes and bells of Donghyuck’s lilting voice as he quieted all the stars save the biggest one and kissed Minhyung the moon asleep. Jaemin’s ancient heart tugged for the two. For Minhyung was of the realm of the midnight blue and Donghyuck the oncoming yellow dawn. Rarely, they will meet longer than a few skipping heartbeats. Forever chasing one another.

 

And his darlings, time and youth, so similar yet so different. Always hand in hand, ready to cause mischief among them all. Time and youth. Chenle and Jisung. If Jaemin was to ever look for one, he would not be surprised to find the other not too farther along the way. They quite literally had the world at their fingertips and made sure to remind their elders of it. Chenle willing entire towns into existence to appease the childish whims of Jisung. Jisung healing all those around him just with his quiet presence and sweet demeanor. Jisung reminded them of their youth. Those two, interchangeable though so divergent, were a devious pair but were arguably the most cherished(and spoiled in Jaemin’s opinion) among their little family.

 

Jaemin loved each and every one of his celestial friends. He made sure to paint them in swirls of shimmering stardust and always delivered their messages to the best of his abilities in mortal (or in each other's) dreams.

 

Speaking of dreams, Jaemin shuddered in delight as his fingertips grazed another fantastic piece of euphoria he had cast into the hair, wishing it a safe journey to its new owner.

 

Suddenly, he felt a deep dreadful awakening fall on his soul. The smooth, gossamer white of the dream slowly warped and sullied into a pitch black piece full of pain and misery. Jaemin watch sadly as his piece of art was so easily corrupted. He knew what was happening. He knew who was doing this. He could stop it. Easily.

 

Yet, Jaemin was resigned. It stung to watch the ruin of something you’ve worked so hard on but that is the natural course of things. Night and Day. Time and Youth. Dreams and Nightmares. The world must exist in a state of balance and Jaemin knows this. That is why he quickly gets rid of his despair and readies for another one.

 

“Jeno, love, you’ve made yourself quite known already. You might as well come out. I am far too tired to dig for you amid all these dreams floating around.” There was little hint of joy in Jaemin’s voice as he waited for his friend Jeno to come out of hiding.

 

“Darling, I would be lying if I said that I expected a bit of a warmer welcoming. It seems that I will always dampen your mood and I must say that sure does dampen mine.” Sarcasm dripped from his words as a roguish smirk plastered itself onto Jeno’s handsome face.

 

“What would you have preferred? A hug? A kiss on the cheek? You’re ruining my dreams, love.” Jaemin pouted as he watched another gossamer strand turn midnight in Jeno’s presence. Tonight was supposed to be nightmare free.

 

Still. Jaemin smiled to himself, hiding behind some sparkling strands of dreams. Jeno had returned and hopefully, for good.

 

“Perhaps a raincheck on that last bit. The one about the kiss? And perhaps a relocation, as well. As for the ruining part, I am just doing what I was made for. You don’t get upset at Minhyung when he opens his eyes and the stars come out. You don’t give Renjun any trouble when the world falls shut. Yet, here I am, just doing my job and getting much too many complaints spilling from your lovely lips!” Jaemin watched unimpressed as Jeno dramatically strode over to Jaemin. Ignoring the blush that came to his face, he chewed on his top lip as he schemed of a way to have his fun with the situation.

 

“Is it not feasible that I am a bit temperamental because I’ve missed you? I had gotten very much used to watching my dreams stay as they are while you were gone. Doyoung really likes to leave them alone nowadays. It was getting quite boring without you corrupting my pieces.” Jaemin knew exactly what he was doing when he slowly lowered his lashes and looked right into Jeno’s eyes.

 

It seems that even after all this time, Jaemin still had an influence over Jeno seeing as Jeno eagerly came even closer to fill the gap between them. Mind racing with more possible outcomes, Jaemin smirked as a certain memory came across his thoughts.

 

The day Jeno was set to leave.

 

_“Why must you go so far away? What are we supposed to do without you running around and upsetting Jaem?” Chenle was pitifully stomping around tailing Jeno as they waited for all their friends to gather._

 

_It was almost the summer solstice, one of the longest days of the year and with that, one of the longest twilights they will have. One of the longest times they have to all be together for a while._

 

_And Jeno was leaving._

 

_“I have to go for a little bit. Just an eon or two, I promise that you’ll barely realize that I had ever even left.” His famous smile gracing Jeno’s face as watched Minhyung and Hyuck walk over from the horizon, hand in hand. His heart went out for the two of them. How they had found the time to love in the tiny little breaths of dawn and dusk will forever evade him._

 

_Soon after their arrival, Renjun stormed in, dragging a rather dejected Jisung with him. The poor boy looked like someone had taken away his favorite star and now his sky was to going be a little less bright. Renjun looked absolutely livid, little wisps of shining red specks of dust floating from his shoulders._

 

_“I still don’t understand. If you had planned for this so extensively, then why hadn’t you come up with a feasible explanation? How could you do this to us? I thought we were a family. Family stays together,” Renjun’s voice broke at the last syllable as he choked on a sob. Ultimately, he fell in Jeno’s arms as more sobs racked his body. Jeno squeezed him, offering comfortable as possible. He owed them all an explanation, but that wasn't possible yet. They just had to wait for him to return._

 

_Jeno scanned the faces of all his friends and his departure finally hit him. He wasn’t abandoning, he’d never do that. He wasn’t even abandoning his position. His brother, Doyoung, was perfectly capable of taking back his old helm as a favor to his dear little brother._

 

_Minhyung looked thoughtful, as he always did, but his graceful features were tinged with quiet sadness. Minhyung was the only one who truly knew why Jeno was leaving and Jeno hoped Minhyung planned on keeping it that way._

 

_Donghyuck clung to Minhyung’s side, trying what he did best: brightening the atmosphere. He joked and laughed and even coaxed a smile out of their youngest. Hyuck was their strong, shining Full Sun. He was steady as ever and ready to wash their pain away, but this pain of potentially losing one of their own might be too much even for him._

 

_Renjun was still crying, but he has accepted Jeno’s departure with grace as always. Renjun’s sweet face was pensively glaring at the ground as he muttered something under his breath. He finally looked up and nodded at Jeno and kissed his cheek, a blessing of some sorts._

 

_And the babies. His babies. Their babies. The youngest of their little makeshift family stared at Jeno with the same level of intensity but with different emotions._

 

_Chenle wanting to stop time. Jeno saw it in the tilt of his head and tension between his brows. He had the power to do so and could with an extra powerful pout at the sky. Chenle didn’t want Jeno to go anywhere. Jeno was the first person to find Chenle after he was lost all alone in their end of the universe. Jeno was the first person who introduced Chenle to their world. To Chenle, he wouldn’t have his own world if not for Jeno._

 

_Jisung watching someone he considered somewhere as a mentor walk away. Their powers and positions in the universe couldn’t have differed any more greatly but they were so similar in the way they executed their dealings. Jeno elegantly delivering his nightmares with spins and arches. Jisung reviving their world with sweet touches and graceful leaps. Jeno and Jisung spoke their own language and their conversations would soon have to halt._

 

_He sighed as his little analysis came to an end and realized that their group was missing someone. The last tendrils of the sun were beginning to disappear over the horizon as his last moments with the group were dwindling._

 

_And then._

 

_Something came barreling at him. Hard and fast and loud and angry and-_

 

_Jaemin._

 

_“I can’t believe you’re leaving. You bastard. You big, giant, annoying bastard. I hate you. I hate you. I. hate. you.” With every word came a heaving breath as Jaemin tried his best not to tear up. He was stronger than that, he told himself. But Jeno was leaving and he didn’t know why and his friends are all crying and now he’s crying and now-_

 

_“Hey, shh. Look at me! I am coming back. Don’t even think about me while I’m away. I’ll be back to annoy you in no time.” Jeno smiled as Jaemin’s tearful glare softened and gathered Jaemin in his arms and squeezed him tight. Too afraid to let go._

 

_He had a few moments left before Hyuck had to sleep and everyone else had to attend to their duties. He had to make this quick._

 

_“Wait for me when I come back, yea?” Jaemin nodded. Once. Twice._

 

_He let go and hugged everyone one more time, savoring Chenle’s hair tickling his chin as it blew in the wind. Melting at the way Jisung curled into him as sobs soon racked his body. Smiling at the way both Donghyuck and Renjun had kissed his cheeks, one burning hot and the other soft as a feather. And Minhyung nodded as Jeno brought him in, whispering a few words._

 

_He looked at them. As a whole. As individuals. His most treasured people. He hoped the universe would let them meet again._

 

“As for the waiting, I do believe you told me to wait for you all those years ago. Haven’t I waited enough? I have missed you quite a bit.” Jaemin’s voice an octave lower as Jeno leaned in close enough for their noses to brush.

 

“Yes, I do believe our reunion is long overdue. I have missed you more than you can even imagine.” Jeno leaned forward in an effort to capture Jaemin’s own lips with his own in what he deemed a suave and easy maneuver.

 

Jaemin made sure to make the complete opposite happen.

 

Just as Jeno would have brushed his lips against Jaemin, Jaemin dramatically stepped back and watched as the newly returned god collapse in a heap of heavenly limbs and wounded pride. The God of Dream’s laugh was melodic and lovely to all except his poor victim on the ground.

 

“I believe you have dearly miscalculated your target, darling. Now, if you’re finished, I need to deliver the rest of dreams before I return to the others.”

 

Before another word could pass between either of their lips, Jaemin darted away leaving His Highness, Prince of the Night, and the God of Nightmares himself, sputtering and pouting like a child.

  
_One day, he will accept my affections and be mine and I will chase him to the ends of this world until then._ Jeno looked up at the moon with a rueful smile. They had the rest of eternity. He could wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, I wrote this to indulge myself at like 2 am. It's very much word vomit but I haven't written in a while so I am proud of it. Very unbeta-d!! I might turn this into a series bc i'd like to expand on this universe?? lemme know your thoughts in the comments!! Leave cc in the comments if you catch something? im unhappy with the ending but ehhh. I am always working on improving my writing. Kudos and bookmarks are appreciated!! I love you all xx


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